Frequently Asked Questions

and Learning Guides

Short Term Access Accounts (STAA)

Policy AD20 stipulates that "University Computer and Network Resources may be accessed or used only by individuals authorized by the University."   Such access is provided through an Access Account.  A Short Term Access Account is an Access Account provided for a short period of time (less than 45 days). 

Such accounts are stored in pools and available to be issued upon presentation of a name, an ID number and a Photo ID.  More detail is available at the Short Term Access Account link.

There is no limit to the size of the pool, however, the applicant must be aware that it takes at least two business days to establish a pool of Short Term Access Accounts or to change the size of an already existing pool of Short Term Access Accounts.

Such requests are be made using the following form:

ITS For-Fee Services Request Form

Here are several important points for supervisors who authorize the ITS For-Fee Services Request Form and anyone else who plans to use STAA.

• Each school and department should maintain their own pool of STAA's.  For example, IIT has been using these for about a year.  The library started using them about two years ago and Continuing Education is using them also.
• An ITS For-Fee Services Request Form must be completed and signed by the Budget Administrator and Financial Officer.
• Short Term Access accounts are a for fee service.
• The cost is about 10 cents per day per account for a SLIM STAA and 26 cents per day for a FULL STAA.
• If printing is needed, a FULL STAA PLUS printing must be requested.  It is extremely important that you say you want printing.
• There is no charge for the pool of accounts unless they are used.
• Generally, these accounts are used for only a few days but you can specify that they last up to 45 days.
• Slim accounts are usually sufficient.  See http://aset.its.psu.edu/accounts/staa.html for a definition of a SLIM account.
• The administrator of the account can create multiple administrators and thus grant the right to grant accounts to others.
• Short term access accounts should not be used as a "crutch", for example, just because a faculty or staff or student didn't go through the normal process of obtaining an access account, don't grant them an STAA.  That would be misuse of the STAA service.  See policy at:  ACCOUNT CLASSES.
• Be sure that the account holder shows you ID.
• There is a paper form that the Penn State Harrisburg library used to track short term access accounts.  It isn't required, but it was a good idea and is optional.  It will be posted to this site soon.

This page is maintained by robertb@psu.edu.

Updated  05 September 2006